Category: Culture

Coming weekend is a three day one and the biggest travelling weekend of the year in Iceland and also the biggest festival weekend. It is called Verslunarmannahelgi or Merchant’s weekend, since the first Monday in August is dedicated to Icelandic merchants. A great deal of people of all ages go camping and enjoy large outdoor festivals. This is also considered by many to be the last chance to go camping and travelling before we have to say goodbye to our beloved summer. All of the festivals are suitable for families and during the daytime most of them have some sort of a program for kids. In the evenings, you will enjoy live music concerts where you will be able to dance far into the night. If you will be here in Iceland next weekend we highly recommend you to go camping and check out one of these big festivals. If you are not a camper you can always stay in Reykjavík for the annual music festival Innipúkinn or “Homebody,” an ironic term used for those who prefer the pleasure and comfort of their warm homes. We have listed down few of the biggest festivals during this upcoming weekend. Take a look! Þjóðhátíð Þjóðhátíð í Vestmannaeyjum is a festival held in Vestmannaeyjar Islands, located off the mainland’s south coast. Þjóðhátíð is by far the biggest festival during this weekend. This festival has been held since 1874 and today around 10,000 – 16,000 people attend the festival annually. The festival starts on Thursday and ends with a crowd singing on Sunday night. The big stage of the festival is located in Herjólfsdalur, a valley on the island of Heimaey. The festival consists of fireworks displays, concerts, food tents, bonfires, guitar singing, camping, BBQ’s and then the big night crowd singing on

Coming weekend is a three day one and the biggest travelling weekend of the year in Iceland and also the biggest festival weekend. It is called Verslunarmannahelgi or Merchant’s weekend, since the first Monday in August is dedicated to Icelandic merchants. A great deal of people of all ages go camping and enjoy large outdoor

Mountaineers of Iceland are a proud supporter of the Icelandic formula off-road team, Guttinn Reborn. The Icelandic formula off-road is a Motorsport invented in Iceland during the sixties with the first tournament being held in Reykjahlíð, 1965. A variation of this sport has since then spread to other countries as well. The formula off-road is set up with tracks which contain challenges to overcome, where the vehicle has to enter through a series of gates. A driver will receive points as he completes each track. Points are then also deducted as the driver violates the rules. E.g. stopping in the track, touching the gate, driving over the gate, reverses the vehicle etc. A skilled driver can earn a "full house" of 350 points for each track. The least he can earn is zero. Each tournament usually contains one time trial track, where the fastest driver earns 350 points. Each driver coming in behind him then receives his point relative to the fastest time, 1 point deducted for 1/10th of a second. Guttinn Reborn Mountaineers of Iceland support and sponsor Guttinn Reborn. Guttinn Reborn is the name of the vehicle driven by Ingólfur "Ingó" Guðvarðarson. Ingó has appeared in the formula off-road since 2010. He first competed in the street legal class and then moved onto the unlimited class in 2012. His first unlimited class 4x4 off-road competition vehicle was in Skien, Norway. He and his team, which includes his brother Kjartan "Galdri", built a new beast in 2014. The new title worthy machine was renamed Guttin Reborn, with reference to the original car. There are basically no restrictions in the unlimited class in which Guttinn Reborn competes. Gutting Reborn bears the number 77 when it appears in the formula off-road. It boasts a 936 horsepower Chevy LQ9 6 litre turbocharged

Mountaineers of Iceland are a proud supporter of the Icelandic formula off-road team, Guttinn Reborn. The Icelandic formula off-road is a Motorsport invented in Iceland during the sixties with the first tournament being held in Reykjahlíð, 1965. A variation of this sport has since then spread to other countries as well. The formula off-road is

Next week we have festivities here in Iceland from Monday – Wednesday. It is an old tradition in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. However, it happens to have different shapes and forms within each country. In Iceland these festivities are for three days in a row and their common features are that they give you the opportunity to eat a lot of food. Who doesn’t love that? Bolludagur – Bun Day On Monday we have Bolludagur. On this day we eat a lot of “bollur” or round sweet bun filled with jam, whipped cream, chocolate or whatever your mind desires. There is one thing to keep in mind on this day… if someone spanks you and says “bolla” you have to give that person a round sweet bun. If you’re in Iceland now, don’t leave Iceland without trying Icelandic bolla. You will not regret it! Sprengidagur – Burst Day On Tuesday we have Sprengidagur, or Shrove Tuesday. Historically on this day people had the last chance to eat as much as they could before ritual fasting of the Lent season started. Today this day just gives us the chance to eat traditional Icelandic food, Saltkjöt og baunir – salted meat and yellow peas; a lot of it! This is something you have to try. A secret tip from us – If you want to sound like a local person use the phrase “Saltkjöt og baunir, túkall”, when you've finished your food. A rather direct translation is "Salted meat and peas, two Krona". Öskudagur – Ash Wednesday Last but not least on Wednesday we have Öskudagur or Ash Wednesday. On this day people used to pin ashes in small bags on the back of peoples clothes. Today you can say that Öskudagur is in some way the Icelandic

Next week we have festivities here in Iceland from Monday – Wednesday. It is an old tradition in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. However, it happens to have different shapes and forms within each country. In Iceland these festivities are for three days in a row and their common features are that

We're located on Langjökull, Europe's second largest glacier. It is Thursday but it really feels like it's Saturday. I have a feeling it's always weekend when Kaleo's around. The band members are as cool as they come with their free spirits and Icelandic flair. They even manage to make winter overalls look trendy. Their guitarist, Rubin, takes on a leadership role. He's a tall, charming man with curly hair that everyone dreams of but no one can achieve with any perm on the planet. He helps me make sure everyone is geared up and we head towards the monster truck that will take us to the snowmobiles. The group they've surrounded themselves with is just as cool as the band members. Their sound engineer suggests a spontaneous road trip between cities in California and tells me his street art has been featured in Family Guy. I'm both intrigued and impressed. Everyone from family members and friends to videographers and managers are nice and laid-back characters. I wonder what role they've played in Kaleo's success. The ride in the truck is quite an adventure. I hear comments on how they've never seen a bigger vehicle and the group is giddy when we cross over bumpy spots. I'm not surprised but it seems like they are all true adventurers. The snowmobile tour starts and off we go. We dash across the shimmering snowfields. It's a perfect day, the sun is shining and the view is so magnificent it seems like the Icelandic highlands surrounding us are never-ending. We make quite a few stops on the way, admiring the sights in front of us and for a moment, just letting life take over. A part of the group starts making a snowman, a pretty impressive one I must say. Soon enough, we are filming a video of

We’re located on Langjökull, Europe’s second largest glacier. It is Thursday but it really feels like it’s Saturday. I have a feeling it’s always weekend when Kaleo‘s around. The band members are as cool as they come with their free spirits and Icelandic flair. They even manage to make winter overalls look trendy. Their guitarist,

Icelandic is one of the Nordic languages and most closely resembles Faroese even though it also has some strong similarities to Norwegian and Danish. Icelanders make a great deal of keeping the language intact even though words such as LOL and OMG may have slipped in. And remarkably, the Icelandic spoken today has not changed much from the language of the early Norse settlers. That means even children can enjoy an Icelandic Saga from the thirteenth century. If you plan on spending some time in Iceland or just want to impress your friends, we've listed out 8 Icelandic phrases for you to learn. Takk fyrir mig - Thank you for me Icelanders use "Takk fyrir mig" when they leave a restaurant, party, or any kind of get-together. It is also frequently used after having been invited for a meal or for a cup of coffee. Hvar er ég? - Where am I? If you are driving your own car in the Icelandic wilderness, you will likely find yourself in the middle of nowhere. Don't hesitate to knock on the doors of the closest farm or waive towards a car and ask this question. Icelanders are friendly people. Ertu að djóka með þetta verð? - Are you kidding me with this price? Since Iceland became a popular travel destination, there has been a lot of discussion about price increase of food, hotels and other things offered to tourists. If you are flabbergasted by the price of your slice of pie you can sound very Icelandic if you ask the server: ertu að djóka með þetta verð? Ég kem alveg af fjöllum - I come completely from the mountains Yes, this quite a peculiar phrase. Icelanders use this when they have no idea what's going on or what you are talking about. Ég skal sýna þér

Icelandic is one of the Nordic languages and most closely resembles Faroese even though it also has some strong similarities to Norwegian and Danish. Icelanders make a great deal of keeping the language intact even though words such as LOL and OMG may have slipped in. And remarkably, the Icelandic spoken today has not changed much from

Iceland was settled by Norse people during the ninth and tenth century. They were all more or less heathen. Their gods names Óðinn, Þór, Freyja, Hlín, Heimdallur and others are the same as other Germanic people worshipped in pre Christian times. Thanks to an Icelandic medieval author, Snorri Sturluson, we have knowledge of the mythology Norsemen and other Germanic people lived by for a great length of time. Snorri was a 13th century scholar and chieftain. His Edda is the most thorough source for ásatrú, as the heathen religion is called. Christianity was consigned to the cultural sphere of the Roman Empire during the time of Icelandic settlement. A Germanic tribe, Franks, became a leading Christian force after the pope in Rome anointed the Frankish king Charlemagne Holy Roman emperor in 800. The Franks, who governed an area that we now call France and Germany, began subsequently to influence the religious affiliation of the Nordic people. Christianity won its way to the Nordic countries with brute force and bloodshed. Local warlords seized upon the new religion to bolster their mandate for power, much in the same way as Frankish kings had done in Western - Europe centuries before. Eventually they would succeed and become kings. The Icelandic system of governance, adopted after the island had been settled in mid tenth century, was called þjóðveldi or commonwealth. It was designed to prevent any central authority to emerge. Icelanders disliked the idea of having a king, possibly because of adverse experience in other Nordic countries where kings subjugated the people - often in the name of Christianity. The chieftains who ruled the country numbered about 40. Their title was goði, a word that derives from guð or god. Goði performed a double role. He was guardian of peace and laws as well as

Iceland was settled by Norse people during the ninth and tenth century. They were all more or less heathen. Their gods names Óðinn, Þór, Freyja, Hlín, Heimdallur and others are the same as other Germanic people worshipped in pre Christian times. Thanks to an Icelandic medieval author, Snorri Sturluson, we have knowledge of the mythology

What has Reykjavík got to offer? The cyberspace is filled with advice and suggestions on how to make the most of your time in Iceland. Dig a little deeper and you will find plenty of tips on what Reykjavík has to offer to the wandering visitor. But what is it like to actually live in the capital? What do the locals enjoy? Let's find out how to experience Reykjavík like a local. 1. Go to a symphony concert at Harpa concert hall The Iceland Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1950 and has distinguished itself as one of the leading Nordic orchestras through its many performances and recordings. Each season the orchestra gives around 60 concerts in Harpa concert hall, ranging from international and local tours to school concerts and concerts with renowned conductors and soloist. Take it all in as you sit in the largest hall in Harpa, Eldborg, and mingle with the locals during the break. And if classical music is not your style, Harpa hosts many types of events and concerts that are worth checking out. 2. Enjoy a walk to Grótta Grótta is frequented by many locals. The scenery is gorgeous, especially during sunsets and you'll get to breathe in the sea breeze as you greet the local walking his dog and the biking family dashing by you. Bring a packed meal with you and have a picnic at the black beach overlooking the lighthouse. The bird life is also fascinating and Grótta is actually a nature reserve because of it. Close by a foot bath has been carved into a rock, where you can sit by and relax with a beverage of your choice to top off your visit to this western part of the capital area. Photo by Grapevine 3. Grab some ice cream Icelanders love their ice cream.

What has Reykjavík got to offer? The cyberspace is filled with advice and suggestions on how to make the most of your time in Iceland. Dig a little deeper and you will find plenty of tips on what Reykjavík has to offer to the wandering visitor. But what is it like to actually live in the capital? What